We visited 12 Mile Delta on our Pure Glenorchy Lord of the Rings Scenic Tour to explore the filming locations for Amon Hen and Ithilien, where Gollum and Sam argue over “What’s taters, Precious?” and the hobbits witness the mighty oliphants. Set along the Bob’s Cove Track in the Mount Creighton area, this peaceful reserve looks surprisingly close to the film version of Ithilien, with its rugged hillsides and forested nooks. We loved it so much that we returned later on our own to spend extra time wandering the exact spots where Frodo, Sam, and Gollum cooked their “stew with taters” and watched the Haradrim pass. (Check out our Paradise [Arcadia Station] blog for more stops from the same tour!)

What’s Taters, Precious?

The scene where Gollum asks Sam “What’s taters, Precious?” while he’s making stew in Ithilien is one of our favorites from LOTR. We put on a performance for our tour group. Scott also put his acting skills to the test by playing the part of Gollum and Sam, while I was the roaming Frodo (location: 45°04’08.8″S 168°32’27.6″E).

@bangarangscooty

Reenacting Gollum and Sam’s “what’s taters, precious?!” scene on location at 12 Mile Delta near Queenstown, New Zealand. #lotr #gollum #samwisegamgee #taters #lordoftherings

♬ original sound – Scott Perdue

Gollum hates lembas bread!

It’s an Oliphant!

The LOTR tour took us to the location where Gollum, Frodo, and Sam see the Oliphants (location: 45°04’10.6″S 168°32’28.3″E).

Amon Hen

The LOTR tour showed us the overlook to Amon Hen where Frodo flees from Boromir and runs into Aragorn (location: 45°04’02.6″S 168°32’30.5″E). The structure is no longer there; we attempted to find the exact spot of the structure (bottom picture), but struggled to confirm the location due to new building constructions.